


The Impossible Choice

by caffeineisthenewblack



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Memories, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Gen, Grief, Hurt/Comfort, I’m so sorry, Sister-Sister Relationship, very sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25561456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caffeineisthenewblack/pseuds/caffeineisthenewblack
Summary: This story is an angst-filled idea that came to me a few months ago and has grown into an angst-ridden story about a sister who has to make an impossible choice.It’s a WIP but almost finished. This is a sad story, you’ve been warned!
Relationships: Ambrose Spellman & Hilda Spellman, Ambrose Spellman & Hilda Spellman & Sabrina Spellman & Zelda Spellman, Dr. Cerberus/Hilda Spellman, Hilda Spellman & Sabrina Spellman, Hilda Spellman & Zelda Spellman
Comments: 13
Kudos: 23





	1. The Choice

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! Another story mostly about the relationship between our favorite Spellman sisters, but with appearances from the other members of the Spellman clan and Dr. Cree, too! Please comment if you are so inclined! :-)

Zelda had always been prepared to sacrifice herself for her family. She would do it without hesitation. 

But this choice. This choice was impossible.

She had always been ready to go first. She couldn’t imagine a life without Sabrina’s mischief, Ambrose’s wit, or Hilda’s kindness. 

And now she had to choose. She had to choose which one of them she could live without.

She looked into Hilda’s eyes. Her sister. Her other half. And then she knew the answer, even though her heart fractured at the thought. “No... no.... Hildie....”

She couldn’t make this choice. She couldn’t. To lose her sister was unimaginable.

“Zelds.... you have to. You know you have to.” Hilda smiled sadly at her. 

She looked at Blackwood. “You can’t do this! I can’t make this choice!” 

Blackwood sighed. “If you do not make the choice, Sister Spellman, then you will all perish.”

Hilda stepped forward. “Zelda...it’s okay. It will be okay.”

Zelda narrowed her eyes at her. “No! There is nothing about this that is okay!”

Hilda grabbed her hands. “If you can’t make the choice then we will all die anyway. You know that. Zelda... you know you have to choose me.”

Zelda felt like she was going to pass out. She could hear Ambrose and Sabrina both shouting at Hilda in protest. She shook her head, and then looked at Faustus. “They have to take me. I can’t choose between them and I can’t live without any of them. Let them take me!”

Faustus frowned. “As high priestess of your pathetic coven you should know how the Eldritch terrors work. Suffering only works on their terms. You will not suffer with your own death, so you must make a choice, or damn all of you.”

Zelda couldn’t breathe. 

She looked at her girl. Sabrina. She had raised her and protected her and loved her through all of her firsts. She was her daughter. She was so young and still had so much more to offer to this world.

She looked at Ambrose, the sweet boy that Hilda had raised before bringing him back to Greendale with her. He had been house bound for 75 years. He had suffered enough. 

If she chose either of them, Hilda would never forgive her. She would never forgive herself. 

She looked at her sister, who was waiting for her choice with resignation. She shook her head. “No...no.... Hildie, no.... I can’t....”

She had always brought Hilda back to her. This time she knew she would be gone forever. 

Hilda was her light in the darkness. And she still had so much more to say to her, so much she needed to make up to her. 

She looked at Faustus. “Can you give us some time? So we can all say goodbye?”

Faustus narrowed his eyes. “Whom have you chosen, Zelda Spellman?”

Her chin trembles. “My sister....” _I’m so sorry, Hildie._

Faustus actually smirks. “Very well. You have one day to say goodbye.” He looks Hilda up and down. “May your death be less painful than all the resurrections your sister has put you through over the years, Sister Hilda.” 

And with that, he was gone.

One day. _One day?_ She watched as Ambrose, who had always been Hilda’s boy before Zelda’s, practically collapsed in Hilda’s arms. She wanted to cover her ears to drown out his sobs. She wanted to rip him from Hilda so she could selfishly spend one more day alone with her sister,  
so she could use the 24 hours she had left making everything up to her. 

Sabrina joined her Auntie and cousin, and she sobbed into Hilda’s shoulder.

Zelda watched as Hilda lifted her head and looked at her, tears trickling down her cheeks. She wanted to join her family and hold onto them, protect them. How could she do that when she just damned her sister to a fate she will never come back from?

But Hilda still needed her sister. “Zelds?”

It was enough to break her. Zelda burst into tears. “I’m so sorry... so sorry...”

Hilda let go of the children and went to her sister. “Zelda.... it isn’t your fault....”

Zelda shook her head. “Me. It should be me!”

“No. It could never be. It wasn’t a choice. Besides.... how would we ever survive without you?”

Zelda felt as if she was on the edge of a full blown panic attack. All she could think about was that she had only one day left with her baby sister. Then she would be gone. Forever. “Hildie... I can’t do this.... I’m so sorry...”

_Together as sisters. Forever and ever._

Hilda tried to grab her hand before she managed to run away. She ran upstairs, to their shared bedroom. She couldn’t face this loss yet. And Hilda deserved time with Sabrina and Ambrose.

Zelda hated that she loved her sister so much. It was easier to be hard on her, to criticize, to be cruel. 

She sank onto Hilda’s bed instead of her own. She closed her eyes and tried to take deep breaths. Hilda was her heart. She had always been, since she was born. She had always been so kind, and she looked up to Zelda more than anyone.

When they were girls, before the Academy days, they were joined at the hip. Everything Zelda did, Hilda wanted to do, and everywhere she went, Hilda wanted to go, too. 

Zelda still longed for those days, before Hilda’s harrowing when Hilda stopped following her, when their relationship changed forever. 

Zelda couldn’t believe she only had hours left to try to get that relationship back. She needed to. She needed her sister to know. She had apologized for what she had done all those years ago but Hilda needed to know that her harrowing broke her, too. 

She needed her to know that she, too, had lost a part of herself after those three days. She needed her to know that she cried herself to sleep for a month after, the guilt and the shame overwhelming. But mostly she had cried because she missed her little sister. She had lost her, and she vowed never again to let herself be vulnerable to love.

But.... she didn’t worship the Dark Lord any longer. She could have told Hilda everything for awhile now. She just couldn’t. Emotions had always been hard for her, especially when it came to her family. 

She takes a deep breath and rests her head on Hilda’s pillow. It smelled like her. Like baked bread and flowers. She pounds her fist against the pillow and lets out a sob. So many years wasted. All she wanted was to protect Hilda but in the process she pushed her away. And in the end she couldn’t even protect her from this. 

_Why couldn’t they have taken her instead?_


	2. Sinking In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to all who gave kudos and commented on the first chapter! Zelda is taking a break in this one but she will be back in chapter three! Hope you enjoy!

Hilda sat in the kitchen with Ambrose and Sabrina. Despite her fate, she still believed tea could make things a little better for everyone.

Sabrina sniffles. “It isn’t fair. Auntie... can’t we do something?”

Hilda reaches over and covers her hand with hers. “I don’t think so, my love. Your aunt had to make the choice to save all of you.”

Ambrose shakes his head, tears trekking down his cheeks. “What are we supposed to do now? Without you?”

Hilda was his mother. She had raised him, he loved her more than anyone on earth. 

Hilda got up and wrapped her arms around him. “You take care of each other, hmm? You will all be okay. You’re strong. As your Aunt Zelda would say... you’re Spellman’s.”

Sabrina spoke up again. “We’ll miss you.”

Hilda nods. “I’ll always be with you, darling.”

Sabrina sighs, and they are all silent for a few minutes before she speaks up again. “Is Aunt Zelda okay? Should we go check on her?”

Hilda shakes her head. “No, love. She needs some time alone, I think.” She swallows hard. “I suppose I should go see Dr. Cee. I can’t.... die.... without letting him know what’s happening.”

Hilda glances upstairs and bites her lip. She was worried about her sister. She looked at the children. “I’m going to the bookstore. I’ll be back soon. Will you just... keep your ears open?”

They both nod. 

Hilda smiles and hugs them both again. “I won’t be gone long, all right?”

They both nod, Ambrose looking as if Hilda walking out the door meant she would never come back.

He close his eyes in defeat when she closes the door behind her. “Coz...Aunt Zelda should have chosen me. I can’t... I can’t live this life without her, Sabrina....I don’t know how....”

He remembered being a little boy in England, when it was just him and his Auntie Hilda. How she would comfort him when he cried, how she was the first person he came to with all of his problems and how she always supported him, no matter what.

He didn’t think his heart would heal from this loss. And he knew, better than anyone, how much this would change Aunt Zelda, too.

Even though Sabrina protested his words and held him as he cried, he still wished her choice had been him.

——————

Hilda played with her engagement ring as she made her way to Cerberus’. It wasn’t unusual for her to drop by unannounced. He loved it when she did that, he once told her. It kept their relationship “exciting”.

She knocked on the door. After a few moments her fiancé opened it and he beamed at her. “Hilda! What a nice surprise!”

She swallows hard, and to hide her tears from him she throws her arms around his neck. 

He frowns but holds her close to him. “Everything all right, my love?”

She squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath. “I wish I could say yes...”

He pulls back from their embrace and is taken aback by her tears. “Hilda... what is it?”

She wipes her tears with the backs of her sleeve. “Can we sit down, love?”

He ushers her into his home, and they sit down on his sofa. They had spent countless evenings like this, and Hilda hated to spoil everything.

He rubs her hands between his. “Hilda... tell me?”

Hilda takes a deep breath. “Well... I guess I should just cut right to the chase. I’m... dying.”

Cerberus’ eyes widened in disbelief. “What?”

“Faustus Blackwood called upon the Eldritch Terrors... and they made Zelda choose a member of her family to sacrifice to save all of us. She chose me. I have less than a day left to say goodbye.”

Cerberus shakes his head. “No...no... that can’t be! There has to be another way...”

Hilda interrupts him. “I came here to tell you... so we could say our goodbyes. I didn’t want to leave this world without doing that. We don’t have much time because I need... I need to get back home... Zelda needs me.”

Cerberus leans forward and kisses her. Tears are trekking down his cheeks, and she reaches up to wipe them away. 

“I’m sorry, my love. I’m so sorry...” Hilda kisses his forehead to comfort him.

He shakes his head. “This can’t be true. Hilda, please...”

She reluctantly pulls back from him. She hates to see him in so much pain. She bites her lip and takes a deep breath. “We always knew that what with me being a witch, that anything like this could happen at any time. Zelda had to make this choice to save our family. You know I would have never let her choose Ambrose or Sabrina. They’re our children. I’m sorry, Cee. This isn’t reversible and there isn’t anything we can do.”

She needs him to understand, as much as it breaks her heart. 

He nods, and wipes his tears away with his fingertips. He nods with reservation. “Okay....okay.... how long can you stay?”

She sighs. “A little while longer. I’m sorry... I wish this wasn’t happening. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He pulls back and cups her face in his hands. “Hilda... stop apologizing. Just...can I hold you? If this is to be our final moments together.... I don’t want to waste them on apologies.”

She nods, and leans forward, resting her head against his chest. She burrows further into him as his arms wrap around her back. They stay that way for awhile, whispering promises of forever to each other. 

Although she is loathe to leave him, she knows she needs to get back home. She and Zelda hadn’t talked yet, and she still needed to be with her children.

When she tries to give Cee her ring back, he insists she keep it, because to him, she is already his wife and will always be the love of his life. 

They share a final kiss, a goodbye kiss full of promises of forever, and then she’s gone.

He manages to wait a few minutes before he sinks to the floor, crying out Hilda’s name in despair.


	3. The Treehouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh our two favorite sisters are nothing but big balls of mush, aren’t they? At least deep down inside! I hope you enjoy this next chapter as they finally sit down and have a heart to heart. Thank you again to all who have commented and left kudos!

When Hilda came home, she was emotionally drained. She knew sleeping was out of the question. She wanted to check on her family, Zelda especially. She had been hiding in their room since she had made her impossible choice, and Hilda was worried about her.

She sighs and makes her way upstairs. She rubs her hand along the wallpaper, as if saying a final goodbye to it. She would miss her home, and everything about it.

She takes a deep breath before opening up the door to their room. She pokes her head in, first. “Zelds?”

Zelda is sitting on her bed. She’s still dressed, though her hair is a little undone. She looks up at the sound of her sister’s voice.

“Hilda...can we talk?”

Hilda nods and walks in completely, closing the door behind her and magically locking and silencing the room. She knew that whatever was about to be said was to remain between them. 

Instead of sitting on Zelda’s bed across from her, she joins Zelda in her own by sitting close beside her. It had been a very long time since they sat like this and had a heart to heart, and Hilda had missed it terribly.

She squeezes Zelda’s hand. “What is it,  
Zelds? You can tell me anything.”

Zelda almost breaks down. The feeling of her hand in hers, it was almost too much. Loving her sister had always been too much.

But she takes a deep breath. “Do you remember when we were girls, before the Academy, before your harrowing, how inseparable we were?”

Hilda nods, squeezing her hand again. “Of course.” Something told her not to say anything more than that.

Zelda takes more deep breaths. “I should have told you this before, months ago, when we stopped worshipping the dark lord, and then maybe I could have fixed our broken relationship.... and we would have had months to repair it, instead of hours.”

Hilda narrows her eyes in confusion. “Broken relationship? Zelda, you’re my sister and there isn’t anything to repair.”

Zelda shakes her head. “Yes there is. Your harrowing... it was my dark devotion.”

Hilda gasps. “What? But...why? Why would he...” Hilda could never understand why Zelda had turned on her. They had been so close, had promised to never hurt each other. And then everything changed.

Zelda bites her lip, trying hard and failing to prevent the tears from escaping. “He knew how much I loved you. He didn’t like it. He came first and would always come first. I begged him to ask me to do anything else. Anything but hurt you. But it had to be done. And in those three days, I knew I had lost you forever.”

Hilda shakes her head. “Zelda, no! You didn’t! I was just.... weary of you.”

Zelda nods. “I know.... because of what had happened. And that’s what I mean. Nothing was the same. I frightened you, and pushed you away. I couldn’t have the dark lord coming after you, use you as a way of getting to me, and that’s why things changed between us so suddenly.”

Hilda takes all of this in. She wished she had known about all of this years ago. She remembered being so confused, and heartbroken, when she had lost the big sister she had known, but, she figured she would just go on loving and caring for this new version of her sister just the same. “Zelds.... I never believed you stopped loving me. I always knew you did.”

Zelda looks at her in disbelief. “How? I was so cruel to you!”

Hilda shakes her head. “You are hard on me because you want to keep me safe much of the time. I know that. Sometimes I wish you could have been a little softer, but you are who you are. You resurrected me when I got lost. The motivation behind that was love.”

Zelda is silent for a minute, then she leans down and rests her head on Hilda’s shoulder. “I’m scared, Hildie. I’m scared that I won’t be able to bring you back this time.”

Hilda sighs. “I don’t think you can.”

“But I have to try. I have to try....” And Zelda starts to sob. “I was supposed to go, first. I had those visions of my future, and I’ve always been ready to go first!”

Zelda would call upon every deity she knew to bring Hilda back to her if she had to. 

Hilda nods. “I know, love. I just need to know that you will be okay if it doesn’t work. Ambrose and Sabrina will need you more than ever.”

Zelda takes a deep breath. “I’ll be okay.”

Hilda kisses the top of her head. “Zelds.... it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to grieve. I just worry about you. If you don’t take care of yourself, I won’t be here. And those kids, especially Sabrina, still need your guidance in this world.”

Zelda nods. “I know. I know that. It’s just... what am I supposed to do without you?”

Hilda pulls back to look at her. “Zelda, just because I cook and clean and take care of the house doesn’t mean you can’t live without me.”

Zelda shakes her head. “You don’t understand. Of course.... I guess I never gave you a reason to understand...”

Hilda squeezes her hand. “Well... we still have time, hmm? Maybe you can try to help me understand?”

Zelda nods. “Okay. Okay.... want to go somewhere with me?”

Hilda nods. “Okay. Where are we going?”

Zelda turns to face and her and grabs her hands. “Close your eyes.”

Hilda nods and closes her eyes, feeling the familiar pull of teleportation.

She hears Zelda take a deep breath and speak. “Okay, Hildie. Open your eyes.”

Hilda opens her eyes and gasps. She recognizes the space immediately, though she hadn’t seen it for centuries. “Zelds....is this....”

“Yea. Our secret place. I ummm....I could never knock it down. I still come here sometimes. After a bad day, or after we’ve had a bad fight...”

Hilda gets up and walks around the space. She hadn’t been here in so long, but she remembered all the fun she and Zelda had when they were children, before the Dark Lord came between them. In particular, she remembered the last time she and Zelda spent time here together.

_“Zelds... you’ve been really quiet tonight. Everything okay?”_

_Zelda looked up from the book she was reading. “I’m fine, Hildie. Can’t we just sit in silence for once?” She huffs with a bit of frustration._

_Hilda shrugs and sighs in defeat. “Sure. Sorry.”_

_Hilda goes back to her own reading, and is surprised when Zelda is suddenly joining her on the window seat. She squeezes Hilda’s hand. “Are you nervous about starting the Academy?”_

_Hilda nods. “What if no one likes me?”_

_Zelda laughs a little at that. “Everyone loves you, Hildegard. It will be no different at the Academy.”_

_Hilda swallows hard. “At least I’ll have you.”_

_Zelda nods and kisses the side of her head. “Always.”_

This place had been their sanctuary. After the harrowing, Hilda couldn’t bare to come here anymore. She missed the sister that Zelda used to be when they were here, and it was too painful to come back.

But Zelda clung to this place. She hadn’t changed anything. Hilda’s stuffed animals were still here and the wallpaper was the same. Their parents built them this treehouse when they were very young, and it was a part of herself that Zelda couldn’t turn her back on, even if the Dark Lord had made sure she turned her back on her little sister.

Zelda sighs and walks to the window. “He turned me into such a cruel person, didn’t he?”

Hilda shakes her head. “No. Of course not! You were just trying to protect me.”

Zelda takes in a shaking breath, still not able to look at Hilda directly. “I don’t think there’s ever been anyone on earth whom I have loved more than I love you. You’re my other half. And I should have told you that, I should have made sure you knew that, the Dark Lord be damned.”

Hilda walks over to her and puts her hand on her shoulder. “But I did know that. I always knew. Zelda.... you’re my sister, remember? We promised each other, by blood oath, in this very room, that no matter what, nothing would come between us.”

Zelda finally looks at her in disbelief. “I broke that oath!”

“No. You didn’t. You stood by me. You always protected me. The Dark Lord couldn’t stop you from that.”

Hilda watches as Zelda’s face crumbles, and she bursts into tears. “I chose for you to die! You’re going to die... because of me!”

Hilda takes Zelda into her arms, and for the first time, since they were very young, she feels Zelda finally let go and let herself be held by the only person in her life who had ever truly understood her. 

Hilda lets herself cry, too. “I’ll always be here with you, Zelds. Whenever you need me. You can summon me and I will always come. Always.”

“No, Hildie... I want you to be at peace.”

Hilda shakes her head. “I could never be at peace without you.”

The two sisters cling to each other for a long time after that. Hilda understood that Zelda needed her because she was her sister, and not because of her domestic abilities. 

Zelda understood that even after everything, Hilda still loved her unconditionally.

She hoped that Hilda wouldn’t be made to suffer, that her death would be quick and painless. Regardless, she knew that she was would never let her go through it alone.


	4. Necklaces & Kettles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to all that have commented! I’m sorry in advance for this heartbreaking saga of a chapter. I probably only have 1-2 more chapters of this to go. If you like what you see please feel free to leave a comment!!!

“Are you scared?”

They were lying side by side, holding hands. Zelda didn’t think it was possible to actually feel your heart begin to break, but she had felt it the moment Hilda’s fate was sealed, and she wasn’t sure if it would ever heal. 

“Of what?” Hilda squeezed her hand.

“Dying.”

“A little. Mostly I’m afraid of leaving behind everyone I love.”

“I’ll stay with you until the end. I promise you. Nothing and no one could stop me.”

“I know. Zelda... the kids... I don’t want them to see me... until it’s over. I just want you to be there. I don’t want them to see that.”

Zelda nods. “Of course, Hildie. Whatever you want.”

“I knew I would have to say goodbye to them eventually. I just... I didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“Do you want to go back home?”

She feels Hilda nod against her. 

“I hate to leave this place. I wish I had known it still stood like this all these years. I missed it. I missed you.”

Zelda kisses the top of her head. “I missed you, too.”

They are quiet for a few minutes, and then Hilda hears Zelda whisper the incantation, and when she opens her eyes they are back in their bedroom. Home.

Zelda sits up first. She looks at the clock beside their beds. Half the time had passed. She sighs in defeat. She was so exhausted, but she couldn’t sleep. 

Hilda sensed this. She could always sense when something was off with her sister. She sits up and swings her legs over the side of the bed. “Zelds...why don’t you have a lie down for a little while? Just a couple hours? I promise I’ll come wake you. I think I need to spend some time with the kids, anyway.”

Zelda shakes her head. What if Faustus turns his back on his word? What if Hilda is taken away too soon?

Hilda places her hand over hers. “I promise I’ll wake you in 2 hours, okay? Please...you’re exhausted. I’ll let you sleep on my bed, hmm? You know it’s always been more comfy and cozy then yours.” 

Zelda sighs in defeat. “2 hours?”

Hilda nods. “Come on... let’s lie you back down, hmm?” She eases Zelda back down, and pulls the covers up over her. “Just rest, okay? I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Zelda reaches out to grab her hand before she can go. “Promise?” She squeezes her hand. 

Hilda nods. “I promise, love.”

Hilda watches over her sister until she falls asleep. She was worried about her family, but mostly for Zelda. Her Zelds. For all her bravado she was sensitive and loved deeper than anyone Hilda knew. She knew when the chips were down Zelda would be there to let the children mourn, but Hilda worried about who would help Zelda through it.

_It had been a month since Zelda left for the Academy._

_Hilda missed her terribly._

_She tried hard not to mope around the house. She tended to her little herb garden out back and tried to train her spiders. But she was lonely._

_She and Zelda had barely spent a day apart since Hilda was born. Bedtime was the hardest. Hilda had a hard time falling asleep because she and Zelda used to talk about everything and nothing until they both were too exhausted to do so._

_She felt like such a baby, but the tears came just the same._

_She grabbed onto her necklace, the one Zelda had given her the night before she left for the Academy. “I miss you.”_

_It only takes a few minutes before Zelda appears. “Hildie? What’s wrong?”_

_Hilda opens her eyes in surprise. “Zelds!”_

_“You touched the necklace and said you missed me. What’s happened?”_

_Hilda say up, feeling suddenly foolish. “I just... I can’t sleep. I’m sorry. I didn’t know the necklace was enchanted. I know you’re probably busy making new friends and studying and all. I didn’t mean to bother you.”_

_Zelda shakes her head. “You could never bother me, Hildegard. I enchanted the necklace so we could still be together, even when we’re apart.”_

_“You’re astral-projecting? But Zelds, the psychopomps!”_

_She was only 11, but she knew all about the dangers of astral-projection. The thought of her big sister being carried off to the hereafter terrified her. “I’ll be fine. You can’t stay here long!”_

_Zelda shakes her head. “I’ll be okay. I just had to check on you. I miss you too.”_

_“You do?”_

_“Of course I do. The Academy is kind of boring without you.” Zelda sighs. “Maybe tomorrow we can chat through the mirror portals.”_

_“Really? I’d like that.”_

_Zelda smiles. “Okay. Maybe during lunchtime? Hildie... it’s okay to cry. To miss me. But just think, in a few years we’ll be back together at The Academy again.”_

_Hilda nods. “I know. It’s just been lonely, that’s all.”_

_“I wish I could hug you.”_

_“Me too.”_

_“I’ll be back for Yule. I promise.”_

_“Okay. Goodnight, sister. I love you.”_

_“I love you, too. Sleep well.”_

It had always been one of Hilda’s most cherished memories. She wore that necklace for years, and even used it from time to time whenever she and Zelda were apart. At least... until the Dark Lord came between them. And even then, Hilda kept it in her jewelry box. It still resided there. She wipes a tear from her cheek she didn’t realize had been there, and leaves the room so Zelda can finally get some rest.

————————-

Sabrina was trying hard to prepare the chamomile tea the way Hilda did. She had heard her Aunties teleport back into their room some time ago, and in true Hilda Spellman fashion, she decided to put the kettle on.

Today had been a horrible day, and she dreaded tomorrow. She was worried about Aunt Zee, and she was afraid of having to say goodbye to Aunt Hilda forever.

She runs her fingertips along Aunt Hilda’s favorite tea set. It was bone China and over 100 years old. Her aunt had told her the story about how she found it at a bargain at a flea market in London some time ago, and how it was her favorite because it had cute yellow flowers on it. Yellow was her aunt’s favorite color.

She wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to look at the color yellow the same way ever again. 

She clears her throat when tears come to her eyes. She didn’t want to cry. Not yet. Ambrose was a mess, his heart already broken, and Aunt Zelda wouldn’t be the same after this. She had to be the strong one for once.

She just wished she could have one more day with Aunt Hilda. Just one more day, just the two of them. It had been so long since she had made an effort to spend quality time with either of her aunts, and now one of them was about to be ripped from her forever.

She couldn’t stop the tears then, guilt settling upon her like a vice.

She supposed her heart was already broken,  
too.

Things would have been better for everyone if Aunt Zelda had just chosen her.

“Sabrina, love? Everything all right?”

It was Aunt Hilda.

Sabrina shook her bead and ran to her, practically collapsing in her arms. “I’m so sorry! Call Blackwood back! Tell him that they can take me instead!”

Hilda holds her close. “What? No, no, my darling.... shhhh...”

“You all would be better off without me. It’s my fault Blackwood hates us so much. I caused so much trouble and now you’re going to die. Ambrose needs you so much more than he needs me. Aunt Zee... she can’t be without you. She told me you were her other half! And I just... I’ll miss you too much!” She is sobbing onto Hilda’s shoulder, clutching onto her for dear life, as if she’ll disappear at any moment.

Hilda allows her to cry, and after a minute or so her sons quiet down, and Hilda pulls back to cup her face in her hands. “None of this is your fault. You hear me? We could never be better off without you! You’re our girl... our Sabrina. You’ve made me so happy, love. The 17 years I’ve gotten to spend with you have been the best time of my life. I know you’re scared, and sad... but I will always be with you. Always.”

Sabrina shakes her head. “It isn’t fair. You were supposed to be here...to see me grow up and have a family of my own...I’m afraid I’ll forget what you sound like, the smell of your cooking...your hugs...”

Hilda shakes her head and pulls her back into her arms. “I know it’s not fair, my darling. I know... but you will be okay. You and Ambrose and Aunt Zelda will be okay because you will always have each other. I promise.”

Sabrina can only nod, and she closes her eyes, letting herself be held by the kindest soul she had ever known, as the kettle began to blare in the background.


End file.
